Jennette McCurdy lived the dream of many children. She was one of the lead star of a successful tv series, iCarly and Sam & CatSelf-centered, with a dedicated mother who was her the whole way. How can she not be happy?

This book chronicled her eventful life from childhood to adulthood and her tragic realization of the circumstances she grew up in. It’s a scary and cautionary look at how a caretaker can so thoroughly warped the perspective and wellbeing of their children, something that they carry through to adulthood. Some of the things I’ll avoid doing when it comes to parenting:

• Don’t berate your child. They never deserve your wrath
• Don’t be ignorant and pass on bad advices (e.g. teaching the eating disorder)
• Don’t create emotional dependency just because you need to feel important
• Don’t be ignorant to their need/cry for help
• Don’t overburden them with your hopes and dreams
• Don’t be nasty to others in their presence
• Don’t keep bad things from them. It’s not worth it when they eventually learn.
• Don’t make yourself the center of the relationship
• Don’t assume the worst in your child
• Don’t assume they should know better

If you’re in the mood for an entertaining and sobering tale and want to learn a bit about the struggle of success and even eating disorder, this is a good one to pick up.